NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

As a recipient of Federal financial assistance, Omega Home Health does not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, or on the basis of disability or age in admission to, participation in, or receipt of the services and benefits under any of its programs and activities, whether carried out by Omega Home Health or through a contractor or any other entity with which Omega Home Health arranges to carry out its programs and activities.

This statement is in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age discrimination Act of 1975, and the Regulations of the U.S. department of Health and Human services issued pursuant to these statutes at Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 80, 84, and 91.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Privacy Notice

About the Notice

Your Privacy Rights

• OHH employees must protect the privacy of your health information as part of their jobs with OHH. OHH does not give employees access to your health information unless they need it as part of their jobs. OHH will punish employees who do not protect the privacy of your health information.

The law gives you the right to:

• Look at or get a copy of the health information that OHH has about you, in most situations. OHH may require that your request for information be in writing;
• Ask OHH to correct certain information, including certain health information, about you if you believe the information is wrong or incomplete.You must submit your request in writing to the OHH office or program that has the information. If OHH denies your request to change the information, you can have your written disagreement placed in your record;
• Ask for a list of the times OHH has disclosed health information about you for reasons other than treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain other reasons as provided by law, except when you have authorized or asked that OHH disclose the information. You must put this request in writing and must include the name(s) of the OHH program, office, or facility from which a list of disclosures is requested;
• Ask OHH to limit the use or disclosure of health information about you more than the law requires.
• However, the law does not require OHH to agree to limit uses and disclosures;
• Tell OHH where and how to send you messages that include health information about you, if you think sending the information to your usual address could put you in danger. You must put this request in writing, and you must be specific about where and how to contact you;
• Ask for and get a paper copy of this notice from OHH; and
• Withdraw permission you have given OHH to use or disclose health information that identifies you, unless OHH has already taken action based on your permission. You must withdraw your permission in writing.

OHH's Duty to Protect Health Information that Identifies You

• OHH is required by law to protect the privacy of your health information. This means that OHH will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization except in the ways we tell you in this notice. OHH will safeguard your health information and keep it private.
• OHH will ask you for your written authorization to use or disclose your health information in ways other than those stated in this notice. If you give such an authorization, you may revoke it at any time, but OHH will not be liable for uses or disclosures made before you revoked your authorization.
• If you receive direct health care or dental care services from OHH, OHH is required to provide you with this notice of its legal duties and privacy practices, and to ask you to sign a form saying that you have received this notice. Otherwise, OHH is required to provide you with this notice upon your request. If OHH changes the contents of this notice, it will make the new notice available at its facilities and on its website, www.omegahomehealth.com, within 30 days of the effective date of the changed notice. The new notice will apply to all health information maintained by OHH, no matter when OHH got or created the information.

How OHH Uses and Discloses Health Information that Identifies You

1. Treatment

   OHH may use or disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage health care or related services. This includes providing care to you, consulting with another health care provider about you, and referring you to another health care provider. For example, OHH can use or disclose your health information to refer you to a community program for services. OHH may also contact you to remind you of an appointment or to tell you about treatment alternatives, additional benefits, or other health-related information that may be of interest to you.

2. Payment

   OHH may use or disclose health information about you to pay or collect payment for your health care. For example, OHH can use or disclose your health information to bill your insurance company for health care provided to you.

3. Health Care Operations

   OHH may use or disclose health information about you for health care operations. Health care operations include:
   

   • Conducting quality assessment and improvement activities;
   • Reviewing the competence, qualifications, and performance of health care professionals or health plans;
   • Training health-care professionals and others;
   • Conducting accreditation, certification, licensing, or credentialing activities;
   • Carrying out activities related to the creation, renewal, or replacement of a contract for health insurance or health benefits;
   • Providing medical review, legal services, or auditing functions; and
   • Engaging in business management or the general administrative activities of OHH.

   For example, OHH may use or disclose your health information to make sure providers bill only for care you receive.

4. Family Member, Other Relative, or Close Personal Friend

   OHH may disclose health information about you to a family member, other relative or close personal friend when:
   

   • The health information is related to that person's involvement with your care or payment for your care; and
   • You have had an opportunity to stop or limit the disclosure before it happens.

5. Government Programs Providing Public Benefits

   OHH may disclose health information about you as needed for the administration of a government benefit program, such as Medicaid.

6. Health Oversight Activities

   OHH may sometimes use or disclose health information about you for health oversight activities. Health oversight activities include:
   

   • Audits or inspections;
   • Investigations of possible fraud;
   • Investigations of whether someone licensed by OHH is providing good care; and
   • Other activities necessary for oversight of the health care system, government benefit programs, or to
   • Enforce civil rights laws.

7. Public Health

   OHH may disclose health information about you to:
   

   • A public health authority for purposes of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, or to report vital statistics;
   • An official of a foreign government agency who is acting with the public health authority;
   • A government agency allowed to receive reports of child abuse or neglect;
   • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to report problems with FDA-regulated medications, products, or activities;
   • A person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease or who is at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition; or
   • A person or agency investigating work-related illness or injury or conducting workplace medical surveillance.

8. Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence

   If OHH believes you are the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, OHH may sometimes disclose health information about you to a government agency that receives reports of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence if:
   

   • A law requires the disclosure;
   • You agree to the disclosure;
   • A law allows the disclosure and the disclosure is needed to prevent serious harm to you or someone else; or
   • A law allows the disclosure, you are unable to agree or disagree, the information is needed for immediate action, and the information will not be used against you.

   
   If OHH makes a report under this section, OHH will tell you or your representative about the report unless it believes that telling you would place you at risk of harm.

9. Serious Threat to Health or Safety

   OHH may use or disclose health information about you if it believes the use or disclosure is needed:
   

   • To prevent or lessen a serious and immediate threat to the health and safety of a person or the public;
   • For law enforcement authorities to identify or catch an individual who has admitted participating in a violent crime that resulted in serious physical harm to the victim, unless the information was learned while initiating or in the course of counseling or therapy; or
   • For law enforcement authorities to catch an individual who has escaped from lawful custody.

10. For Other Law Enforcement Purposes

    OHH may disclose health information about you to a law enforcement official for the following law enforcement purposes:
    

    • To comply with a grand jury subpoena, summons, investigation, or similar lawful process;
    • To identify and locate a suspect, fugitive, witness, or missing person;
    • In response to a request for information about an actual or suspected crime victim;
    • To alert a law enforcement official of a death that OHH suspects is the result of criminal conduct;
    • To report evidence of a crime on OHH's property;
    • To provide information learned while providing emergency treatment to an individual regarding criminal activity; or
    • As necessary for a correctional institution or other entity having lawful custody of an individual to provide health care to the individual or for the health and safety of other inmates or its employees.

11. For Judicial or Administrative Proceedings

    OHH may disclose health information about you in response to an order or subpoena issued by a regular or administrative court.

12. As Required by Law

    OHH may use or disclose health information about you when a law requires the use or disclosure.

13. Contractors

    OHH may disclose health information about you to a OHH contractor if the contractor:
    

    • Needs the information to perform services for OHH; and
    • Agrees to protect the privacy of the information.

14. Purposes Relating to Death

    OHH may disclose health information about you to:
    

    • Coroners or medical examiners for the purpose of identifying a deceased person or determining the cause of death;
    • Funeral directors for the purpose of preparing a deceased person for burial or cremation; or
    • Organ procurement organizations for the purpose of organ, eye, or tissue donation.

15. Research

    OHH may use or disclose health information about you for research if a research board approves the use. The board will ensure that your privacy is protected when your health information is used in research. Your health information may also be used:

    • To allow a researcher to prepare for research, as long as the researcher agrees to keep the information confidential; or
    • After you die, for research that involves information about people who have died.